Care homes

Many people who currently choose to go into a care home could continue to live in their own home with the right level of support. Anyone who feels they need an assessment to find out what their specific needs are can ask us for one. This includes people who may have sufficient money to pay for their own care. We will work with you to ensure that this is the right option for you.

We can provide advice and information on many services, including equipment and adaptations,

Types of care home

Care homes (personal care only)

If you need someone to look after you 24 hours a day, but don’t need nursing care, a care home offering personal care may be the best option. Personal care includes bathing, feeding, dressing and help with moving.

If you are considering a care home, you may wish to speak to us to ensure this is the best option for you. There may be alternative ways that you can be supported to remain independent in your own home.

Care homes with nursing

If you think you may need nursing care in a home, you will need to be visited by a social care worker or a care manager to work out what care you will need. This visit might be in your own home, or in hospital if you’ve been ill, or in a care home.

Out of county care

Sometimes people choose to live in another area of the country as they want to be closer to friends and family. This can be in different types of accommodation, including supported living or simply renting. Each individual situation is different and, therefore, how it is funded will be assessed differently.

If you do require a care home placement to meet your needs and you qualify for local authority financial assistance, the county you lived in before you moved to the care home is responsible for arranging your support. The home you choose must be suitable for your assessed needs and comply with the terms and conditions set by the authority.

Assistive Technology and alarm systems to help you stay in your own home for as long as possible.

If your assessment shows that a care home is the best option, we can give you information about the range of homes available to meet your assessed needs. If you are not eligible for financial assistance from us, you will need to consider which homes you can afford. If you choose an expensive home and use up all your savings, you may then have to move to a different care home.

You will be fully involved in planning your care needs. If a care home providing nursing care is the best way to meet your needs, your social care worker will give you information to help you find a home which meets your care requirements. The cost of the nursing care part of your fees is paid by the NHS to the home directly. You can contact the Nurse Care Management Team for your area at your local Integrated Care Board listed on page 79.

All care providers in the country must be registered and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which reports on its findings and awards quality ratings. Inspection reports and quality ratings are available from the provider or from the CQC: www.cqc.org.uk along with the quality ratings. Further information about the CQC can be found on page 78.

You can contact the Care Quality Commission through its website: www.cqc.org.uk where you will find details of all registered care homes in the UK. Alternatively, this Guide’s website: www.carechoices.co.uk has details of all registered care providers in England.